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Persona BLEACHED 2: Part 1
Chapter 1: Echoes of Hope and Despair Our tale begins in the not-too-distant past. When a group of seven remarkable students, led by a girl with hair alight with crimson, ended the ambitions of an ancient evil, and the warped souls entrenched in its cause. Harnessing the power that laid dormant within their cognition, the seven youths spared the world from eternal enslavement, overcoming trials, tragedy and betrayal. Though mankind was saved from destruction, the events that took place were lost within the collective minds of the masses, the climactic battle taking place inside humanity's own consciousness. Only the seven youths and a relative few others retained knowledge of what had transpired. Gods fell. Monsters, literal and otherwise, were slain. Evil was defeated, temporarily at least. Yet there remained a nagging fear. The souls tainted by the ancient power had found ways to defy death in the past. Even with a decisive victory, the youths always held a fear that they would defy it again. Eight years passed without incident. But as so often happens, fate takes a turn... --- August 4, 2028 KARAKURA TOWN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, JAPAN His current moniker was Inmate #3471. His crimes range from bribery and theft to multiple counts of conspiracy to commit murder. His sentence was getting to spend the remainder of his youth (and well beyond) in a 6 by 8 cell and eating food that looked to have been digested by the cook well beforehand. A dire fate for one who, at one point in time, looked set for a long career in politics. Eight years ago he was Kyohei Ishimaru, Junior Class President at the prestigious Naruki Ascension Academy, located in the next town over. He had everything required to succeed: power, intelligence, ambition, and a family deeply entrenched in politics. A future as the Prime Minister of Japan was not out of the question. Then Ringo Kubo happened. The redheaded girl arrived at the academy seeking the truth regarding the murder of her brother Tohru--the one man Ishimaru considered to be an equal. By the time she was done with him, the carefully built web of connections Ishimaru had built had scattered like ashes in the wind. His corruption had finally caught up to him, and a life once filled with such promise would likely end behind bars. He spent the first year in his new home hating her. Everything he'd done to get to a place of prominence, undone within a year. Yet he came to realize that, in the end, he had nobody to blame but himself. He had trusted the wrong people. Especially... Especially...that man. The Reaper. Heinous and deplorable in every sense, that red-hooded psychopath had done much to further his goals. Everything except rid him of Ringo Kubo. Chalk that up to the murderer's delirious adoration of the girl coupled with the wishes of his true master: Tohru Kubo. He who had died, yet somehow lived again. All that Ishimaru had done for the duration of that year was being taken advantage of by a dead man. His old rival had bested him again. And now here he was. Eight years into a decades-long prison sentence. Tohru Kubo was dead. So, too, was the Reaper. Yet Ishimaru often found himself thinking that perhaps he had gotten the harshest punishment. Today was not one of those days. Today was, as far as imprisonment goes, relatively peaceful. He was sitting on a bench in the prison's recreational yard, reading to himself. His literature for the day: Fitzgerald's masterpiece, "The Great Gatsby". The cautionary tale of a man who had everything, flying too close to the sun and burning as a result. Ishimaru could relate. The prison populace largely left him be. Unassuming with no distinctive features save for his glasses, and a scar on his left cheek acquired from a fellow inmate who REALLY wanted first dibs on the daily muck they called food, he attracted little in the way of attention. So he sat in peace, engrossed in his daily read. He didn't even notice when everything around him stopped moving. It took him a couple of minutes, but when he looked up, he saw that movement around him had completely ceased. The inmate playing basketball near him was in mid-shot, the ball suspended in the air. Ishimaru stood up, and waved his arms in front of the unmoving guards. He'd seen this sight before. Eight years prior, before all hell had broken loose. And just as it had happened on that day, a ghost appeared before him. "Long time no see, Ishi. See the years haven't been too kind." Standing before Ishimaru was a familiar sight. Basic red hoodie and blue jeans, face obscured in shadow, save for a single, glowing eye. And that voice. That tone that was so filled with utter contempt for everything with a pulse, that made you feel as if tadpoles were swimming underneath your skin. There was no mistaking it. "Y-you're...the Reaper?!" uttered a stunned Ishimaru. "Well, actually, I'm Bruce Willis. In the flesh, in this random Japanese prison. Damn STRAIGHT I'm the Reaper, genius." "But...but it can't be--" "Nuh-uh-uh, none of that, Ishi. Haven't you gotten it by now? Lotta things you think CAN'T be actually CAN. Case in point, yours truly having my neck turned into a fountain and coming back to tell the tale. All thanks to our pal Tohru's old insurance policy trick. Only I was smart enough not to try it on his dear sister. How is Rinnie doing these days, anyhow? Oh wait, you wouldn't know. You've been in this nice bird cage for a good while, right?" He suddenly perked up. "Oh, speaking of bird cages, there's a movie I haven't seen in a while. That Nathan Lane, bro. Always cracks me up--" "What do you want?" Ishimaru interrupted. The Reaper quickly grabbed Ishimaru, pulled out a handgun and put it against the inmate's neck. "It's not polite to interrupt, Ishi." he said with a seriousness in his voice that hadn't been there before. "As for what I'm doing here, can't a guy visit an old friend he hasn't seen in a long time? Jeez. I'm probably the first guy to come see you in who-knows-how-long, and what do I get? Attitude. And I was gonna let you in on my plans for the future, too..." The Reaper's musing was broken by a sudden burst of laughter. Not from the murderer, but from the man he was pointing his gun at. "Wha..?" the hooded man muttered. "Oh, please forgive me. I understand that to someone with your sense of humor, laughter must be a very abstract concept. But you MUST be joking. PLANS? You mean your plan of revenge against Rin Kubo and her posse, correct? Because the last time you went up against them ended so swimmingly for you. Difference now being that you don't have Tohru Kubo and an actual, prehistoric DEITY to help you. If that wasn't enough to prevent your demise, what makes you think anything you try now will work? I'll commend you in finding a way back from Hades' embrace, but if you seriously believe you're going to be any sort of threat to them now, then you'll find yourself right back amongst the eternal flames. Let me spell it out for you: you're old news, Nobuhiro Yamatsu." The Reaper shoved Ishimaru to the ground. "Don't...don't you fucking DARE repeat that name." he said angrily. "Ya know what, Ishi? I tried being nice. I was even gonna help you get out of this dump. But I'm thinking this is right where you belong." He fired three shots at the inmate playing basketball, the bullets stopping right before making contact. He dropped the gun onto Ishimaru's chest. "See you in Hell, Ishi. Enjoy the extra 60 years." He vanished, and time quickly resumed, the bullets tearing into the inmate, killing him instantly. The nearby guards acted quickly, tackling Ishimaru before he even had a chance to react. Watching from the top of the prison, the Reaper chuckled. "'Old news', am I? Heh. Oh, Ishi. Should've known by now, I'm full of surprises. Now, then..." "Oh where, oh where could my dear Apple-chan be~?" He teleported away. As it did eight years prior, that merciless, absolute blade called fate has dropped...and the game begins anew. --- THREE DAYS LATER NARUKI CITY, JAPAN Daybreak. A new chapter is set to begin for a town that endured a period of tumult not too long ago. Today, however, is a new beginning. The first day of a new school year, as a new flock of ambitious students are set to begin their studies at the town's most prestigious institution, Naruki Ascension Academy. It's a new year for their educators, too. For one in particular, it was a more nerve-wracking occasion than it usually would be. At 24 years of age she would be the youngest instructor in the academy's history; undoubtedly the youngest to hold the title of "Professor". She lived in a quiet neighborhood not far from the market district where her family ran adjoining produce and flower shops. The house she shared with her adoptive sister was surrounded by a bevy of flowers of numerous shades and forms, all meticulously arranged and cared for. Her sister was set to take over the flower shop, with her mother soon to embark on a life of vacations and pachinko parlors, while her older brother would maintain the produce shop their father cared for until his dying day. As always, her attire would largely consist of the same shade of red as the hair she adored so much, only recently cutting it down to her shoulders. Everything from her uniform to the rims of her glasses was a stark shade of crimson. "Coordination is everything", her best friend would tell her often. Her name was Ringo Kubo. And today was going to be a great one. She would accept nothing less. Gathering her belongings, she practically hopped out the front door. Outside sweeping the patio, draped in velvet-colored house wear, was a platinum blonde-haired young woman; close to her, a pink-hued cat was lounging. The young woman smiled brightly at the sight of Rin. "Well good morning to you, Rin." she said. "Morning, Rose. Bit early for housework, isn't it?" Rin answered, bending over to pick up the cat. "And how about you, Momo? Helping Mom #2 out with the housework?" she said. Rose perked up. "Oh! I'm sorry, where are my manners? Let me try again." She cleared her throat, then stood up straight and saluted. "GOOD MORNING, PROFESSOR KUBO!" she said heartily. Rin chuckled at this. "Come on, there's no need for that. You'll wake up the neighbors." She put the cat down. "Nervous?" Rose asked. "A bit, yeah. I'm going to be responsible for molding a bunch of young geniuses. I hope I'm not swinging above my weight class here." "Don't even fret over it. If anyone knows what those kids are thinking it's you. We were in their shoes not that long ago. You worked hard to get that title. I know there's nothing you can't do." "Oh, shoot. You give me way too much credit." "I don't say anything that's not the truth." Rin took a deep breath. "Okay. I've got this." They hugged, and Rin got into her car. "Wish me luck." "You don't need it, silly. Oh, don't forget we're having dinner at Hiyoko's after work. Give me an update at lunch, okay?" "If I'm still alive by then." "You'll be phenomenal. Just keep that smile going." Rin began driving off, and Rose waved as she did so. "Have a lovely day, Professor~!" she yelled cheerily. Rin drove the short distance to the academy. She got out of the car, and took another deep breath. "You got this. You got this. You've faced down a god and lived, Rin. You can handle a bunch of hormonal prodigies." she thought to herself. "Don't show any weakness." She walked into the school. Swarms of students lined the halls. Rin entered the main courtyard. "Home sweet home." she thought. A uniformed officer was directing students into the halls. "Okay, kiddos, move along. Wasn't planning on herding sheep today." he said. His blondish-brown hair was tied into a short ponytail, and he had light peach fuzz. He wore a dark cowboy hat, with the word "Strength" written across the front in yellow lettering. Rin walked by him, only for him to stick his arm out, blocking her. "Sorry, ma'am. Gotta write you a citation." "Oh? What seems to be the problem, officer?" she said with a smirk. "Didn't you know it's illegal to be looking that damn cute?" he joked. They hugged. "How ya doin' today, boss?" the officer asked. "Oh, just lovely, Jugo. What are you doing here?" "Volunteered to help keep the kiddos in line today. Any day's gonna be nuts it's gonna be today. And I wanted to make sure a certain new professor was A-OK." "Aren't you a sweetheart. Yes, I'm okay. Got a swarm of butterflies in my stomach but I'm okay." "Oh, don't tell me you're nervous about a bunch of runts. I didn't think geniuses got nervous about other geniuses." "Please, 'genius' might be overdoing it." Jugo blinked a couple times. "I'm sorry, is the 24-year old professor telling me she ain't a genius?" Rin sighed. "Guess you've got a point there." "Anyway...you coming to Hiyoko's tonight?" Jugo grumbled a bit. "Oh, come on. You know she'll be sad if not everyone's there." "It ain't her I'm grumbling about. It's her choice of hubby." "JoJo's harmless. He doesn't think before he speaks sometimes, sure, but--" "He calls my boys pigs, boss. I know he was raised around shady shit, but that doesn't fly with me. At all." "Well if he does it again, you have my word I'll give him the scolding of a lifetime. If Hiyoko doesn't first." Jugo grumbled again. Rin took on a stern look. "Shijūgo Oda. You will attend dinner tonight and you'll behave yourself. Am I clear?" she asserted. "Alright, alright! Sheesh, and you think you won't be able to handle some brats. I was gonna go anyway. I wouldn't be a creep to Hiyoko like that. Got enough to worry about, that one." "Good, good. And no arguments with JoJo, alright?" "I can be nice if he can be nice. Not that there's any guarantee of that." "I'll take it as a yes." A bell rang out. "That's my cue. I'll see you tonight, okay?" Rin said. "Yes, ma'am. Good luck. Show those little runts who's boss. Maximum effort and all that." Jugo responded. They waved goodbye, and Rin walked into the main building. Rin made it to the second floor, her classroom being located near the end of the hallway. She entered a door marked "Class 85-I". Her class would be a small one: eight students total, all of them freshmen, and all save one being from overseas. The school had been making a more concerted effort in recent years to bring in more international students, in an effort to make it a more global brand. Rin had spent the past few months brushing up on their native languages, despite being assured that every student had been well-tutored in both Japanese and English. She wanted the students to be comfortable around her, and learning their languages was Step 1 towards that. None of the students had made it yet, so Rin took a moment to sit down and decompress. "Ohhh, this is real, isn't it." she said. Then she remembered something. She reached into her bag, and pulled out a wrapped gift. The note included read, "In case you need something soft to hug. Every teacher needs one of these! Good luck! Love u!!! - T & J". Her best friend and neighbor Tenko gave it to her the previous day, and told her not to open it until she got to her classroom. She opened the gift, and it was a small plush toy that appeared to be a red apple, but with tiny black eyes on the leaves and a green, wormlike tail. "This is Applin", a note included read, "and it's a Grass/Dragon type. If any teacher's gonna have one, has to be you, right? - J". Tenko's husband Jin was an avid Pokémon fan, and would sometimes give Rin plush toys as gifts. "Only Jin would think of this..." she said with a smile. Soon enough, the students began filing in. The last one to walk in, a downtrodden-looking boy with messy brown hair and glasses, quietly took his seat near the back. With everyone seated, Rin stood up. "Showtime." she thought. "Good morning, everyone." she began. "My name is Professor Ringo Kubo, and I'll be overseeing your education for this year and hopefully beyond." The students looked surprised. "Wait, did she say 'professor'?" whispered one brown-haired boy with an American-Southern accent. "Really? But...she doesn't look that much older than us..." uttered a dark-haired girl with a French accent. Rin smiled. "I can tell from your faces that you all are a bit surprised. It's alright, I expected as much. Just as you all are starting your first day at the academy, this will be my first time having an entire class of students to teach by myself. I know that must seem a bit crazy, but let me make one thing clear: I'm 110% devoted to making sure your time at the academy is as fruitful as it can possibly be. Think of me as not just your teacher, but your big sister. Which after growing up as the baby of the family, I would be VERY welcoming of." Some of the students laughed. "I'm glad we could have some levity off the bat. I don't want any of you to ever feel uncomfortable around me. If there's anything I'm an expert of, it's understanding people." "So, to help with that, and before you all introduce yourselves, I figured I'd tell you all a little about myself..." "So, to start with, there's three things you need to know about me. One: I love plants. If you couldn't guess from my name, plants are kind of my family's specialty. My house practically doubles as a greenhouse, there's so many plant species around it. If you're ever in the market district, chances are you'll come across a produce shop that's joined with a flower shop. That slice of property is my family's pride and joy. If you see a goofball with a goatee or the blonde-haired sweetheart, tell them your professor sent you." She winked. "Two: I love writing. When I was going to school here, people would call me a writing prodigy. I wouldn't really go as far as that, but it's my passion nonetheless. I've actually been working on a book for a while now, but..." She started blushing. "Don't ask me when I plan on finishing it." The students laughed. "And three: I love people. I can spend hours on end just sitting down and getting to know people. Ask any of my friends and they'll call me their life coach. If there's anything any of you feel like asking me, or you need to get something off your chest, ANYTHING at all, my ears are at your service. I didn't spend all that money and time on psychotherapy courses for nothing." She winked again. "In all seriousness, though...I'm here for you all. When I say I'm your big sister, I mean it. Ask me anything, tell me any trouble you have, if you need a shoulder to cry on, BELIEVE me, I'm here for all of it. So with that in mind..." "I'll do some of that ear-bending I've been going on about. I'd like you all to stand up and introduce yourselves. Who wants to go first?" Almost as if on cue, a dark-skinned boy leapt out of his seat in the front row, catching Rin off guard. "No need to say anything else, Teach!" he bellowed out. The shirt on his uniform was untucked, and his sleeves were rolled up. "What's going on, everyone! What's wrong, too early for some of y'all? Oh, where are my manners? I'm Sahir Musa, and I'm from Nigeria. As for what brought me here...eh, some people think I'm good at football, and I mean the one where you're actually using your feet. Personally I'd like to think it's my incredible parties that got me here but, don't think the scholarly crowd cares much for those." "'Kind of good' might be underselling it." Rin thought. "This kid had clubs the world over clamoring for his signature. We're talking Real Madrid and Bayern Munich-level clubs, serious money. But he turned them all down to come here. I can't even imagine why...still, seems like a nice kid. Party animal rep is a bit of a concern, but what teenager doesn't enjoy that stuff?" "Anyway, sorry to start babbling on, Teach. I'd love to keep going but someone else needs to have a turn today. Plus what's life without a bit of mystery, ya know?" "No no, it's fine. I opened the floor for you all, I don't mind a bit of talking. Well then, who wants to go next?" The dark-haired girl stood up. "Bonjour, mes amis. My name is Caroline Hilda Blackthorne. Carrie is fine by me. I am from the lovely province of Monaco. As far as why I am here, I am an artisan by trade. All the jewelry I'm wearing, I fashioned myself. I wanted to experience the world outside of my home, so here I am. This is what they call 'broadening your horizons', yes?" "This girl is just radiating high class. She's been making a living for herself selling that jewelry, and in a playground for the rich like Monaco, who doesn't need shiny things? One thing, though...her file mentioned that she's currently living on her own. No mention of family whatsoever. And there was something else..." Rin thought. "Professor, is everything alright?" Carrie asked. "Oh, sorry." "No apologies needed. Not unusual for an educator to be lost in thought. I would be more worried if you weren't thinking. Oh, I'm sorry, that must have sounded rude..." "No, no, it didn't, I get what you meant." Next, a stern-faced boy with red hair stood up. "Kenneth Southgate. Go by Kenji. Liverpool. Swordsman. That's it." He sat back down. Rin blinked a couple of times. "Blunt and to the point, huh?" "Got the point across, didn't I?" "Oh, this one's gonna be a problem." Rin thought. "From what I read he's been training with swords obsessively since he was a young boy. File mentioned him being 'combative with authority figures', and boy can I see that." "Let me make one thing clear." Kenji asserted. "I've come here for one reason and one only. I want a worthy challenger for my blade. Nothing more, and nothing less." Rin sighed. "Tenko is gonna deflate this kid's ego before it's all said and done, I'll make sure of it." she thought. "Sheesh, people actually talk like that? You one of those anime protags?" chided a girl with blonde highlights in her dark hair. She had her feet up on the desk, wore glasses, and had a pair of cat-ear headphones around her neck. "What was that?" Kenji responded. "Just saying, dude. This ain't Soulcalibur. Not gonna just find someone on the street to have a duel with." "Listen here, you--" "ANYwho." the girl said, now standing on top of her desk. "H-hey, I wasn't--" Kenji began, but the girl ignored him. "How's it hanging, party people? My human designation is Kit Soo-Yin, but people on the interwebs call me Kitty. I hail from the mystical land known as 'Seoul', and I stream video games on the internet cuz people'll watch anything, clearly. Aaaand that's about it I guess." "I like this girl already." Rin thought. "Up until a month ago she was averaging millions of views for her Twitch streams, and she had advertisers lining up for deals with her. Then out of the blue, she says she's stopping to focus on schooling away from home. It was the strangest thing. Then again, her file did mention she could be a bit..." "ANYwho, did someone here eat a twin in the womb?" Kitty abruptly asked. "I just get that vibe in the air. It was this guy, wasn't it?" She pointed at Kenji. "W-what?!" he responded, flabbergasted. "...eccentric." Rin finished her thought. After Kitty sat down, a girl with striking silver hair stood up. "Ummm, I guess I'll follow that up. Howdy, everybody. I'm Barbara O'Donnell. And this fella right here..." She motioned for the boy with the Southern accent to get up. "Howdy. And I'm Max O'Donnell. We're twins, if you couldn't tell already." "Maxie and I are from the great state of Kentucky. As for our trade, we're in the business of showbusiness. I'm a theater girl myself, and Maxie..." "...I'm more of a film guy. Behind the camera stuff. Never been one for crowds. Unlike this one." "There's a lot to like about these two." Rin thought. "Already getting labeled as the next big things in acting and directing. On top of that, they both scored highest out of everyone else here during the entrance exams. Everyone seems to rave about their work ethic. 'You won't have a better pair of students', they kept telling me." "Okay, who else..." Rin looked over at a girl sitting in the corner with a yellow hood over her head. The girl glanced up, revealing a messy blonde head of hair. She quickly glanced back down. "D-don't worry about me. I don't really have much to say..." she said somewhat quietly. "It's alright, you don't have to be afraid. Nobody here's going to judge you." Rin said. "Except this guy, probably." Kitty added, pointing at Kenji. "Pipe it." he snapped back. The girl stood up. "Ummm, m-my name is Natalia Van Damme. I'm from Belgium. And I, um...I like to sew. I make a lot of my own clothing, and um...other stuff." She fiddled around with her fingers as she spoke. "S-sorry, I'm not that good at talking to people. You all should probably just ignore me..." "Oh heavens, don't think like that." Carrie spoke up, quickly sitting next to Natalia, startling her. "I'm actually rather fascinated. This hood you're wearing, did you make it yourself?" Natalia looked away. "C-could you not come so close?" "Oh! My apologies. I admit that was rather abrupt. I'm sorry for startling you." "D-don't be sorry, it's my fault I'm such a weirdo..." "I might have my work cut out with her." Rin thought. "For as lovely and well-put together her clothing is from the pictures I've seen, she suffers from extreme shyness. On top of that her upbringing sounds like it was fairly tumultuous. I just hope I can help her be more comfortable around people." "Alright, so...I think that just leaves..." Rin looked to the back of the class. The downtrodden boy, an ahoge pointing out of the rest of his hair, hadn't spoken or reacted to anything up to this point, and only stared down at his legs. He sighed. He stood up slowly. He began to speak in a low tone. "I don't...really have much to say. I don't have any real talent to speak of. The only reason I'm here is because my parents paid my way in. They figure it's my duty...to make amends for my brother's mistakes." "My name is Kibō Ishimaru. And I hope I'm not too much trouble for anyone. Especially you...Professor Kubo." Kibō sat down. Rin was silent for a moment. She gave a light smile. "Thank you, everyone. So...I'm going to give everyone a few minutes to talk with one another. If we're going to be spending the foreseeable future together, it's important to find common ground. I'll leave you all to it." A few hours later, lunch period arrived. Rin went outside to the main courtyard and called Rose. "Still alive, I see." Rose joked. "For the time being." Rin responded. "So, how were first impressions?" "First impressions were...interesting. Some of them might need a bit of extra effort to get through to, but they all seem like good kids." "Great to hear. And what about the one you mentioned, you know..." "Kibō. Yes. It went about how I expected. He wouldn't look me in the eye, even when addressing me. He seemed really sad. He talked about having to make amends." "Amends for what, though? He's not the one that tried to have us all killed." "I know that, Rose. And I want HIM to know that. That's why..." Rin thought back to when she first got the files on her students. "And there you have it, Ms. Kubo. It's a rather small group, I know. I hope you don't have any issues?" the headmaster told her. "Oh, none at all. I'm honestly glad. Don't want to be overwhelmed out of the gates." "That was our reasoning for assigning you this class, after all. Most of them seem fairly artistically inclined, so you'll already have that common ground. Now before I let you go...I do have one more thing I should mention. I trust I needn't remind you of Kyohei Ishimaru, do I?" "Ishimaru...no. I still remember everthing. Why?" "Well...I've been informed that his younger brother will be attending the school as a first year. Given your history with his brother, I felt you should be aware in case...well, in case it should bring up any hard memories." Rin thought for a moment. "What's his name?" "I believe it's Kibō, if I'm remembering correctly." "...I want him in my class." "Pardon? Are you sure? After what--" "He was what, six? Seven when the incident happened? Was he the one that conspired to hurt my friends and family? I want to keep an eye on him. If he's nothing like his brother, I want to make sure it stays that way. And if he is...then I want to change his path. Please." "...alright. I'll start the transfer process. I hope you can set a good example for this boy. Lord knows he needs one." "Thank you, sir. I'll do my best." Back in the present, Rose began speaking. "You did a good thing, Rin. I know better than anyone what you can help bring out in people. And you know what it's like to have a brother with...questionable methods. You're exactly what he needs right now." "Suppose you're right. Well, I have to get back. See you tonight." "Alright then, Ms. Educator. I'll let Tan know that you're still alive." "Oh God, has he been pestering you?" Rose looked outside the shop window and saw a goateed man with tribal tattoos on his arms and a gold chain around his neck giving hand signals, showing a thumbs up and thumbs down in a questioning manner. Rose motioned to him before giving a thumbs up. He gave an 'okay' sign and walked away. "Not anymore he isn't." Rose finally answered. Rin giggled. "Okay, I'll let you go. Glad to hear it's going well. See you tonight." Rose said. They hung up, and Rin proceeded back to class. --- LATER THAT NIGHT Rin and Rose stood outside the gates of an upscale mansion. Rose was holding a bouquet of sunflowers. "Never ceases to amaze, does it?" Rin asked. "No, it doesn't. Everything so well-kept. And I never get tired of their garden..." Rose answered, swooning. "Yeah...don't they buy all their flowers from you?" "What's your point?" The gates opened. They approached the door, and Rose knocked. Rin stared at one of the numerous statues of muscular men lining the pathway. "Y'know...I'd say this was overcompensating for something but...I don't want to think about JoJo naked." she said. "Oh, please, no. I can't look at hot springs the same way anymore." Rose added, shaking her head. The door opened. "Evening, ladies." Jugo said. "See somebody survived their first day." "Well, I felt safer knowing Naruki's finest were around." Rin said with a playful grin. "Please, I was on my rump all day sipping coffee. Kids these days are too well-behaved." "Would you prefer it be like when we were there?" Rose asked. "HELL no I wouldn't." Jugo answered. "Anyone else here?" Rin asked. "Rest of the squad's in the living room. And, uh, watch out for Tenko. She's in RARE form today." "Oh, boy." The trio entered the living room. "I've caught the scent of bestiiiiiiiie~!" A young woman with short brown hair, a green jacket and a shirt with an arrow reading "Future Nerd" pointing to a noticeable bump got up from the couch. "Whoa there, no need for running--" Rin said before Tenko embraced her in a hug. "Jesus you act like you haven't seen me in weeks, we had lunch yesterday, remember?" "I knooooow. But every hour without seeing your gorgeous face feels like weeks." Tenko retorted. "What are you eating?" Rose asked. Tenko held a small bucket of purple-shaded ice cream. "It's lavender-flavored. Wanna taste it? It's horrific." "Well, I don't want to taste it if it's horrific." Rose answered. "Howzabout you, Jugo? It's the worst." "I'd rather not. Why are you even eating it if it's that bad?" A bearded man with long, dark hair, a black snowcap and jacket and a shirt with an image of a cloaked figure holding a lantern got up from the couch. "Dude, you're asking the pregnant chick why she's eating weird shit. Don't question it." said Jin, though rather than his mouth, the words came out of his wristwatch. "I think the more important question is why she's feeding our kid the weird shit." "She's already fated to be weird, Jin. What's one more thing?" "There's weird, and then there's 'eating something you'd scent a candle with' weird." "Honey, you can eat whatever you want." Tenko said to her stomach. "Don't listen to her. You don't have to eat the candle if you don't want to." Jin retorted. "You seriously telling our daughter not to listen to me? Are we gonna have the rebellious phase right off the bat?" "Better to get it over with than when she's 16 and self-aware. I'm just making it easier down the line." A butler walked in the room. "The Madame will see you all in the dining hall now." "Oh, YAY! Those lobster butts are calling my naaaaame~!" Tenko walked off. Jin turned to the others. "Only 5 more months of this. Yaaaaaaaay!" he said sarcastically before walking away. "...and that is why I'm never having kids." Jugo deadpanned. Rin and Rose stood in silence. The group entered a large dining room. "Look at that tiny shellfish booty~!" said Tenko giddily. "I don't think I'll ever think about lobsters the same way ever again." Rose uttered. "Hey, where'd your hubby run off to?" Rin asked. "Mr. Hygiene went to go wash his hands. Such a gentleman~." Tenko answered, scarfing down another spoonful of ice cream. "Boy, those hormones are something else, huh?" Jugo said. "I'm not entirely sure it's all hormones." Rin added. In the bathroom, Jin finished washing his hands. When he looked back in the mirror, he saw a line of blood stretched across his neck. He closed his eyes, shook his head, and reopened them. The blood had vanished. He sighed. He took out a bottle of pills, and took one. Jin returned to the dining room. "There you are, I was thinking you got kidnapped or something." Jugo said. "*sigh* Really, dude?" Jin responded. "Sorry, sorry. Forgot." "*sigh* How many of those lobster bums has she eaten?" Tenko was in the process of eating one. "This is only my third. I can show restraint!" she griped. She went to grab another spoonful of ice cream, only for the tub to be empty. She looked sad, only for Jin to appear next to her holding another tub. She looked overjoyed, and hugged his arm. "My sweet enabler~!" she chimed. Jugo looked over at Jin, who shrugged. "Anything for your queen, dude." A moment later, a young woman in a yellow dress, her light brown hair tied back, walked in. "Sorry for the wait, everyone." she said. "Oh, speaking of queens." Rose said, walking over and handing Hiyoko the flowers. "Oh, darling, you shouldn't have. I feel like I have half of your stock in my garden already." Hiyoko said. "Well, what's a few more to have around? I know these are your favorite." Rose responded. "You're far too generous, love." "So, where's His Majesty hiding?" Jin asked. "Probably cutting off a guy's finger somewhere..." mumbled Jugo, prompting Rin to quickly elbow his side. "Ouch." "You promised you'd behave." she whispered. Just then, a man walked into the room. His brown hair was messy, with a wild ponytail stretching past his shoulders. He wore dark dress pants and a shirt unbuttoned at the top, and wore an eyepatch over his left eye. "'His Majesty' was busy taking his pre-dinner shit." JoJo said. "Thought I smelled something." Jugo said with a smirk. "Sure that ain't the cow manure you coat your house with, Oda?" JoJo sniped back. Hiyoko grabbed his shirt, and stared daggers at him. "Shūjo. Not here." she asserted. "Tch. Whatever." he grumbled. "What did I JUST tell you?" Rin demanded. "Hey, I ain't the one talking 'bout his shit at the dinner table." Jugo replied. Everyone sat down. "Hey, JoJo. Wanna smell something fun?" Tenko said, holding a cup of dark purple liquid. "The hell is that?" he asked. "Go on, take a wiff." "Good grief, fine." He sniffed it, then reeled back in horror. "OH GAWD! The fuck is that?!" he demanded. "It's disgusting." Tenko answered. "What is it?" "It's foul." "What is it?!" "Beets." "Why are you drinking beets?" "Beets are good for cleaning up the digestive tract." Rin answered. "I figured somebody who knows a thing or two about shit would appreciate it." Tenko added. "I...appreciate the thought." JoJo said. "So, Rin." Hiyoko began. "I heard your first day in education went well." "It did. They all seem like good kids. Some more...unique cases in the bunch, but I'm used to unique cases." Rin replied. "I'm planning on sitting down with them all one-on-one, try to get a gauge for how I can help them out. I'd like to ask you all to help out, if it's not too much trouble." "It wouldn't be trouble at all. I'd love to help out." Hiyoko said. "Long as we don't have to go monster hunting again, I'm game." JoJo added. "I'd hope it wouldn't come to that. Even if things have been...different, since we stopped Tohru." "By 'different' meaning our spiritual pals coming out in the real world now?" Jin asked. "That's what I meant, yes. Thankfully there hasn't been much use for it but, I'd like to keep my students out of it. If possible." "I understand, dear. That was a bit too much excitement for my liking--" Hiyoko began, before she began coughing. "Hey, you alright?" JoJo asked. "I'm alright, my love. Nothing out of the ordinary." "In any case, I'd really love to help you out in any way, Rin. Kids are my specialty, after all." Hiyoko said. "Are you really sure? I don't want to pile stress on you." Rin said. "It's fine, really. Anything to keep me occupied. It gets lonely shuffling around here all day." She coughed again. "You sure you're okay there? That sounds kind of nasty." Tenko asked. "I'm fine, really. Just need a bit of air..." "I'll take you outside." Rose said. "You're too kind, rosebud. Thank you." The two walked out. "How long's it been like that?" Jin asked. JoJo put his fist against his forehead. "Couple weeks. If it was just the cough that'd be one thing but...well. Y'all know by now it's more than just the cough. The fainting spells started up again. The back pain comes and goes..." He trailed off. "There really nothin' the docs can do?" asked Jugo. "Well...they've got one idea. Won't fix everything that's wrong, but it'll go a long way to making it so. We're talking a major blood transfusion. There's just one catch..." "Uh oh." Tenko uttered. "The blood they need to sort everything out...it has to come from a parental source." "Shiiit." Jugo uttered. "Her mom is dead, which means the only other option is--" "Juzo Kagetora." Rin said. "That's right. A guy she's never met, that's been on the run for over ten years. Hell knows if he's even in Japan anymore, or even if he's..." JoJo trailed off again. "I don't know what to do. I can't just keep watching her suffer like this. Shit, look at where I'm living. Enough cash to do whatever the hell I want except make my wife feel comfortable. Frustrating ain't even the word...shit, I'm sorry. It's your big day, red. Here I am raining on your parade." "Don't even think about it. I get it. Tell you what. After I sit down with my kids, I'll see if one's open to learning from Hiyoko. I think I've got one girl in mind. I know it's not much, but if it makes her happy then I'm more than willing." Rin explained. Outside, Rose sat with Hiyoko on a bench. She had her hand on Hiyoko's shoulder as blue energy emanated from it. "Feeling better?" Rose asked. "A tad, yeah. Thank you, rosebud." Hiyoko answered. "I'm sorry I can't give anything more than temporary relief. If I could--" "You've done plenty, Rose. I'm sorry for causing a scene." "Don't apologize for something you can't control. I just wish there was something more I could do." "You and everybody being around is more than enough for me. Having people around that truly care...it's a relief for a lot of things." "JoJo...he's agonized over how to make me more comfortable in my own body. A man raised in the world he was raised in doesn't take well to failure. No matter how much I tell him not to worry about it, he can't help himself." "But that's good, isn't it? To have someone so devoted to your well-being. Must be a blessing." "I suppose it is...just knowing someone cares that deeply for you helps to ease a lot of pain." Rose began to fidget. "Rose. You know where I'm going with this, don't you?" Hiyoko asked. Rose turned away, starting to blush. "I...I don't know what you mean. There's nobody--" "Rose. I can see it clearly. Whenever she's in the room, or you're speaking about her, I see your eyes light up. Why don't you just tell Rin how you feel?" Rose looked down. "...I can't." "You said it yourself, didn't you? Knowing that someone cares so much about you." "You don't understand. Legally we're--" "You mean taking on her last name to live in the human world? I don't see how that precludes anything, especially since it's a moot point now. What is it you're really so fearful of?" Rose began to shake a bit. "...what if she rejects me? What if I say it and she doesn't take it well? I've ran it through my head so many times...if she were to say no, I...I don't know what I would do. I don't want to live in a world where she resents me for anything..." Hiyoko grabbed Rose's hand. "I know you must be terrified. Everyone is, before they confess their feelings. But I guarantee, once you get it off your chest, you'll feel the relief. I know how much she means to you, Rose, and I want her to understand that, too. Don't let yourself be in pain over something that shouldn't be painful. The bond you two have is special. Promise me you'll let her know that. Okay? Promise me." Rose thought about it. "...alright. Alright. I promise. But it has to be the right moment." "You pick the time that's right for you. But I don't want you to hold it in forever." Hiyoko put her hand on Rose's head. "Heh. When I first met you it was like speaking to a doll. How the time has gone..." JoJo walked up to them. "There you are. Everyone was getting worried. Everything alright?" he asked. "Everything's fine, my love. Just enjoying the scenery. Sorry to worry you. Come on then, Rose. Hopefully Tenko hasn't scarfed down all the seafood." Hiyoko answered. They walked back inside. "I have to let her know how I feel..." Rose thought. "...as if I haven't practiced it in front of a mirror countless times. But she's right. Rin deserves to know. I've kept it bottled up for too long..." --- A short while later, Rose and Rin returned home. "Well, that was certainly an eventful evening. I thought Tenko was gonna rip Jugo's arm off over that last bit of lobster. Would've been fitting, if nothing else." Rin said while she unlocked the door. "Hey, you alright? You've been kind of quiet since we left." Rose looked nervous. "You can do this, Rose. You already promised. You can do this." Rose thought. Rin opened the door and the pair stepped inside. "What a day. That couch is calling my name." said Rin, who promptly plopped onto the couch. Rose began to sweat. "I have to. I have to. Curse you, Hiyoko. I have to. No turning back now--" Rose thought, and then... "Hey, Rose. Can I talk to you about something?" Rin asked. The sudden question broke Rose's focus. "I know today's been a bit hectic, trust me I know, but after tonight I...well, I wanted to get something off my chest. I promised myself I'd be more honest with my new job starting, but seeing JoJo and Hiyoko tonight just...made me realize that I shouldn't leave things unsaid." Rose looked dumbfounded. "W-what is happening here...?" she thought. "When we brought you into the family back then, I was happy that it meant you had a reason to stay around. But on the other hand...I was sad. And for a long time I didn't know why. Then one day I realized why I was sad. I thought that I wouldn't be able to express how I really felt. But now that you're firmly established here, I can finally be honest." Rin began blushing. "Rose, I...I have feelings for you." Rose was completely stunned. "Hehe, I'm sorry. Far be it from me to struggle with the right words, but I've kept this buried for a long time. If I'm going to guide a group of prodigies to being their best selves, then I need to be 100% honest about who I am. I'm sorry if this is so sudden. I completely understand any reaction you might have. I just hope this doesn't--" Rose tried to contain her laughter. Then, the tears started flowing. Rin was surprised. Rose tried composing herself. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh. I just, *sniff*. I've been tearing myself up inside trying to come up with the right words." "Rose, you don't have to say anything you don't mean for my sake. I just had to get this off my--" "Rin, I have something I've been meaning to give you." Rose took out a folded up note, and handed it to Rin. "When we first met, I took notes on what I believed to be the true nature of love. After all the time I spent with you, the conclusion I came to was--" "'Love is like an apple'." Rin said. "Yes. Love is something we want. It is sweetness, wisdom, and liveliness all in one perfect form. It is bright, and good, and can be pictured with the warmest shade of red." "When I first wrote those words, the image I had in my mind...was you, Rin. I love you. So very, very deeply. For the longest time, I kept my feelings hidden because I didn't want to do anything that might drive a wedge between us. But...you confessed to me first. I never could have imagined this happening. Or...maybe I did. Many, many times. Oh, dear. I'm just so overjoyed I...I think I might faint." "Whoa there, let's not get that drastic." Rin motioned for Rose to sit next to her. Rose laid her head on Rin's shoulder. "Better?" Rin asked. "Yes. Thank you, Rin. My dearest, most beloved...yes, let's leave it at that. My beloved. You who taught me the ways of the world...I promise I'll stand by you, always." "Rose, I...thank you. I'm sorry if I caused you any pain. I've come to rely on you so much...I never want you to think you can't tell me something." "It's perfectly alright. All the toiling I've done in my mind...this moment makes it worth it. Would it be alright to just...stay like this for a little longer?" "Of course. We can just sit here as long as you want." Rose closed her eyes, and eventually fell asleep. Rin sighed. "If this is how Day One went...this year's gonna be a doozy." she thought.